Musharraf stalls China trip amid talk of impeachment

By Augustine Anthony

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf delayed a visit to China on Wednesday by a day, the foreign ministry said, as opponents in the coalition government consulted over his possible impeachment.

Musharraf had been due to fly on Wednesday to attend opening ceremonies for the Beijing Olympics and meet China's leadership but he put off his departure hours before he was due to leave.

Pakistan values its close relationship with China as it provides a regional counterweight to old rival India, so it was highly unusual to put off the visit at such short notice.

His change of plans prompted speculation that he did not want to leave Pakistan without knowing the outcome of talks between leaders of the civilian coalition in Islamabad.

Asif Ali Zardari, the head of the ruling alliance, was meeting with former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to resolve their differences over the issues of Musharraf's impeachment and the restoration of Supreme Court judges who were dismissed by the president last November during a brief period of emergency rule.

With the talks running into Wednesday night, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Sadiq, who earlier said the China trip was cancelled, said Musharraf would go on Thursday instead.

Musharraf, a U.S. ally who came to power as a general in a 1999 coup, has become overwhelmingly unpopular.

His allies were defeated in an election in February that resulted in a civilian coalition government led by the party of the late Benazir Bhutto, a two-time prime minister who was assassinated while campaigning last December.